Starting apparatus for vapor lamps



July 6,1926. 1,591,112

j 1.. J. BUTTOLPH STARTING APPARATUS FOR VAPOR LAMPS Filed Nov. 14, 192: 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 10 Q I vslvro HIS ATTORNEY July; 6 1926.

1.. J. BUTTOLPH STARTING AP-BARATUS FOR VAPOR LAMPS Filed NOV. 14, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Hi6 ATTORNEY H Patented July 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT 4 OFFICE.

LEROY J. BUTTOLPH, or EAST cannon, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO ooornnnnwrr'r" ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF-HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION or NEW JERSEY.

STARTING APPARATUS FOR VAPOR LAMPS.

Application filed November 14, 1923. Serial No. 674,626.

This invention relates to high voltage fused quartz lamps and especially to adaptations and apparatus for starting them.

In the starting of vapor electric arc apparatus such as rectifiers, lamps, etc., it is gen-- erally known that if there is sufiicient electron emission from the cathode that an arc will he struck on the application of voltage across the terminals of the apparatus. In this device it is proposed to have voltage impressed across theterminals of the lamp from the beginning of the starting period on, and to have an auxiliary anode of mercur close to the cathode with means for stri ing an arc therehetween whereby an electronis produced to enable an arc to be struck between the main terminals of the lamp. An inductance in series with the cathode can be used to produce an inductive kick which will assist the auxiliary arc in starting an are between the main terminals of the lamp. 7 v

The purpose of this invention is to provide a mercury arc lamp and apparatus therefor which will function to start the lamp quickly and efliciently and which apparatus will antomatically reset itself after functioning to be in readiness to function again.

' "Another purpose of this invention isto provide an auxiliary anode for the lamp between which and the cathode a spark is drawn for the purpose of establishing an arc between the main electrodes of the lamp.

Another pur ose of this invention'is to provide an in uctancein the lamp circuit to produce an inductive kick across the-ter-..'

minals of the lamp to supplement the arcing between the cathode and the auxiliary anode to start the lamp as above cited.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of an embodiment of this device in which a spark between 3 and 4 inconjunction with ani'nduc'tance in series with the cathode is used to start the are between the main terminals of the lamp. Fig. 2 shows a form of this invention in which a spark between 3 and 4 is usedto start the arc 01 the lamp.

In Fig. 1 part 1 is a silica tube having a cathode chamber a part of which is surrounded bya supplemental chamber substantially annular in form, the two chambers being separated by the partition 34. In the cathode chamber is an armature of iron filings 6 jacketed in a casing 5 of fused quartz.

.ed to the negative supply main.

cury 3 of the cathode. Parts 9 and 10 are respectively negative and positive feed mains, the latter being connected through the solenoid 18 to the anode of the lamp and the latter through the electro-magnets 11, inductance 12, and electrode 8 to the cathode 3. From a point between magnets 11. and inductance 12 a connection is made through conductors 27 and 25, resistance 16, conductor 23, solenoid 17, conductor 24 to the electrode 7 and auxiliary anode 4. From a point between conductors 25 and 27 a connection is made to one side of mercuryswitch 14 the other side of which is connect- From a point between resistance 16 and auxiliary anode 4 a connection is made through mercury' switch 15 to the positive supply main. An armature19 is connected to switch 14 and is operatively positioned with respect to solenoid l'? and may be operatively 0- sitioucd with respect to solenoid 18. rmature 20' connected to switch 15 is operatively positioned with respect to solenoid 18.

Switch 14 when not acted upon by solenoid when a switch is closed in the'main circuit current passes through main 10 to conductor 21, through'switch 15, conductor 22, resist-- arms 16, conductors 25 and 27 through electro-magnets 11 to the'other main 9; the

electro-magn'ets 11 being energized by this current the armature 6 is drawn down raising the, level of 3 whereby the two masses of mercury 3 and 4 are united, whereupon "current flows from 22 throughconductor23,

solenoid 17, conductor 24, electrode 7, through mercury masses 4 and 3, electrode 8, inductance 12, and through coils 11 to main 9. The current passing through solenoid 17 'actuates armature 19 which closes switch 14,

whereby coils 11 being short circuited armature 6 rises in the mercury 3. Upon the floating of 6 in 3 the. level of the latter drops and its connection with 4 is broken and a spark is produced between them. If there is sufiicient vapor in the tube at this time the spark will start an are between the cathode 3 and the anode 2. Of course, at this time, the inductive kick of the coil 12 assists in striking the are between the terminals .of the lamp through an action well known in the vapor lamp art by which a reactive current surge is set up in said coil 12 due to the sudden change from zero current passage through said coils to a passage of current of a considerable value.. If not, the parts of the apparatus resume the positions in which they'were at the closing of a switch in the main line and the foregoing cycle of operations is again gone through. When an arc is struck in the lamp current flowing through the main 10 goes'through solenoid 18 which actuates armature 20 through which 15 is opened. Solenoid 17 now being de-energized, switch 1a opens and connection to the cathode is entirely through the coils 11 which become active in connec tion with coil 12 as the usual stabilizing inductances- Switch 14 and solenoid 18 may be so positioned with respect to each other that the latter when energized holds the former open or aids in keeping it open.

The embodiment of this invention as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 2 is similar to that shown in Fig. 1 excepting that there is no inductance between the magnets 11 and the cathode 3. In the operation of this form the momentary are between 3 and 4 is relied upon alone to start an are between the main electrodes of the lamp and during the operation of the lamp as such the coils 11 function alone as the stabilizing inductance in series with the cathode.

I claim as my invention: I

1. In anelectric vapor lamp circuit including a vapor lamp, an anode and a liquid cathode therefor, and feed mains, in combination, an auxiliary liquid anode adjacent.

said cathode and separated therefrom by an insulating partition, said liquid cathode and said auxiliary liquid anode having levels normally just below the top of saidpartition, a fioat containing magnetic material in said cathode, said float being adapted when moved downwardly in the liquid of the cathode to cause the level of the mercury forming the cathode to rise and cross the partition and join the liquid of the said auxiliary anode, an electro-magnet positioned near the cathode, one side of said magnet an armature connected thereto and operatively positioned with respect to said solenoid, a second solenoid in the main anode supply lead, a second switch connected on one side to a point between the auxiliary and said resistance and on the other side to the positive supply main, an armature connected to said second switch and operatively positioned with respect to said second solenoid.

2. In an electric vapor lamp circuit including a vapor lamp,an anode and a liquid cathode therefor, and feed mains, in combination, an auxiliary liquid anode adjacent said cathode and separated therefrom by an insulating partition, said liquid cathode and said auxiliary liquid anode having levels normally just below the top of said partition, afloat containing ma netic material in said cathode, said float being adapted when moved downwardly in the liquid of the cathode to cause the level of the mercury forming the/cathode to rise and ,cross the partition and join the liquid of the said auxiliary anode, an electro-magnet positioned near the cathode, one side of said magnet being connected to the negative supply main and the other side being connected through an inductance to the cathode, a connection between the cathode and the auxiliary anode with a resistance and a solenoid in series therein, a switch connected on one side to the cathode and on the other side to the negative supply main, an armature connect-- ed thereto and operatively positioned with respect to said solenoid, a second so'lenoid in the main anode supply lead, a second switch connected on one side to a point between the auxiliary anode and said resistance and on the other side to the positive supply main, an

armature connected to'said' second switch and operatively positioned with respect to said second solenoid.

Signed at Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, this 13th day of October A. D. 1923.

, LEROY J .BUTTOLPH. 

